01 · Überblick
The first turbocharged M
The E70 replaced the E53. It was unveiled in August 2006, with its first official public appearance at the LA Auto Show 2006. Sales began in November 2006 in the USA and in March 2007 in Germany.
Historically significant is the X5 M, presented at Auto Shanghai 2009. Its V8 twin-turbo, based on the N63B44, was the first turbocharged M engine ever — a break with the naturally aspirated tradition that the M3, M5 and all others later followed. Together with the X6 M, it was also the first M model with the xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
New was the optional third row of seats, though only suitable to a limited extent for people over 1.70 metres tall. As standard, an iDrive system operates with a colour screen of up to 8.8 inches and eight programmable station buttons. The six-speed automatic is standard on all engines and operates via shift-by-wire: the selector lever passes on its commands electronically, with the gear display located in a small screen in the lever itself.
The chassis remains primarily designed for paved roads. The character of the SAV, therefore, did not change.
02 · Historie
Seven years of X5
From the LA Auto Show 2006 to the F15.
- 2006 Launch in August, first official presentation at the LA Auto Show. Sales start in the USA in November.
- 2007 The car arrives in Germany in March. From August, the new naming convention with the xDrive suffix applies.
- 2009 The X5 M is presented at Auto Shanghai: 555 PS from the S63B44, the first turbocharged M engine. In autumn, the limited edition model 10 Years BMW X5, restricted to 500 vehicles, appears.
- 2010 New engines from mid-year: the N55 replaces the N54 in the xDrive35i, the N57 arrives in the diesels. The xDrive40d delivers 306 PS and 600 Nm.
- 2013 Production ends in August. The successor is the F15.
03 · Modellübersicht
The engine variants
From mid-2010, BMW switched engine generations: N55 instead of N54 for the petrol engine, N57 instead of M57 for the diesel. The six-speed automatic is standard across all variants.
Quelle: Werks- und Literaturangaben · geprüft
Technische Daten anzeigen — komplette Modellmatrix
| Modell | Motor | Hubraum | Leistung | Bauzeit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0si / xDrive30i | N52B30 | 2.996 cm³ | 272 PS (200 kW) | 11/2006–06/2010 |
| xDrive35i | N55B30 | 2.979 cm³ | 306 PS (225 kW) | ab 06/2010 |
| X5 M | S63B44 (V8 twin-turbo) | 4.395 cm³ | 555 PS (408 kW) | 07/2009–08/2013 |
| 3.0d / xDrive30d | M57D30TÜ2 | 2.993 cm³ | 235 PS (173 kW) | 03/2007–05/2010 |
| xDrive30d | N57D30OL | 2.993 cm³ | 245 PS (180 kW) | 06/2010–08/2013 |
| 3.0sd / xDrive35d | M57D30TÜ2 | 2.993 cm³ | 286 PS (210 kW) | ab 2007 |
| xDrive40d | N57 | 2.993 cm³ | 306 PS (300 kW) | 06/2010–08/2013 |
04 · Karosserievarianten
Karosserievarianten
Five-door body, optional seven seats
The split tailgate of the predecessor was retained. New is the optional third row of seats, which turns the car into a seven-seater — though only suitable to a limited extent for people over 1.70 metres tall.
05 · Motoren
The S63 in the X5 M
The most important engine in this model line is not a naturally aspirated unit but a twin-turbo — marking a turning point in the history of M GmbH.
S63B44 · V8 twin-turbo · 555 PS — X5 M geprüft
The first turbocharged M engine ever. It is based on the well-known 4.4-litre V8 N63B44, which also powers the xDrive50i in the X6. In the X5 M it produces 555 PS at 6,000 rpm and 680 Nm between 1,500 and 5,650 rpm. 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds with a governed top speed of 250 km/h; official fuel consumption is 13.9 litres. Together with the X6 M, the X5 M was also the first M model with the xDrive all-wheel-drive system.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Bauart | V8 petrol engine with twin-turbo forced induction |
| Grundlage | N63B44, the 4.4-litre V8 from the X6 xDrive50i |
| Leistung | 408 kW (555 PS) at 6,000/min |
| Drehmoment | 680 Nm at 1,500–5,650/min |
| 0–100 km/h | 4,7 s |
| Höchstgeschwindigkeit | 250 km/h, governed |
| Verbrauch | 13,9 l/100 km, CO2 325 g/km |
| Bauzeit | 07/2009–08/2013 |
Wikipedia DE data table for the E70 model line
N55B30 · 2,979 cc · 306 PS — xDrive35i geprüft
From mid-2010, the petrol engine of the model line below the X5 M. 306 PS at 5,800 rpm and 400 Nm across the broad range of 1,200 to 5,000 rpm. Top speed 240 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.979 cm³ |
| Leistung | 225 kW (306 PS) at 5,800/min |
| Drehmoment | 400 Nm at 1,200–5,000/min |
| Höchstgeschwindigkeit | 240 km/h |
| 0–100 km/h | 6,8 s |
Wikipedia DE data table for the E70 model line
N57 · 2,993 cc · 306 PS — xDrive40d geprüft
The strongest diesel in the model line from June 2010: 306 PS between 5,500 and 6,400 rpm and 600 Nm from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm. This gives it more torque than any petrol engine below the X5 M — with official fuel consumption of 12.5 litres compared to 13.9 for the M.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.993 cm³ |
| Leistung | 300 kW (306 PS) at 5,500–6,400/min |
| Drehmoment | 600 Nm at 1,750–4,500/min |
| Höchstgeschwindigkeit | 250 km/h |
| 0–100 km/h | 5,5 s |
| Verbrauch | 12,5 l/100 km |
| Bauzeit | 06/2010–08/2013 |
Wikipedia DE data table for the E70 model line
N52B30 · 2,996 cc · 272 PS — 3.0si and xDrive30i geprüft
The naturally aspirated six-cylinder of the early years. 272 PS at 6,650 rpm, 315 Nm at 2,750 rpm, 210 km/h and 8.1 seconds to a hundred. Discontinued from June 2010.
Technische Daten anzeigen
| Hubraum | 2.996 cm³ |
| Leistung | 200 kW (272 PS) at 6,650/min |
| Drehmoment | 315 Nm at 2,750/min |
| Höchstgeschwindigkeit | 210 km/h |
| 0–100 km/h | 8,1 s |
| Bauzeit | 11/2006–06/2010 |
Wikipedia DE data table for the E70 model line
06 · Schwachstellen
Reliability & Weak Points
- Adaptive Drive and the air suspension are the most expensive wear points. Roll stabilisers, valves and the compressor add up quickly.
- On the N63 and the S63 in the X5 M, the turbochargers positioned in the hot vee and the valve stem seals are known issues. Oil consumption and blue smoke on cold start are warning signs.
- The N57 diesel is considered solid; the exhaust gas recirculation, swirl flaps and, at high mileage, the timing chain of the early model years are critical points.
- The transfer case’s transmission unit and its actuator motor remain a check point on the E70 as well.
- The electronics are extensive. A complete readout of all control units is essential for this car.
07 · Technik
The turning point at M
xDrive at M
Shift-by-wire
Fahrwerkstechnik
The third row of seats
Technische Daten — Achsübersetzungen & Getriebe
- Body
- five-door, optional third row of seats
- Drivetrain
- xDrive
- Transmission
- six-speed automatic, shift-by-wire, standard on all engines
- Controls
- iDrive with up to 8.8-inch colour screen and eight programmable station buttons
- Chassis options
- Active Steering, Adaptive Drive with roll stabilisation and adaptive dampers
- X5 M
- S63B44, first turbocharged M engine, 555 PS, 680 Nm, 0-100 km/h in 4.7 s
- First M model with xDrive
- X5 M and X6 M
- Special edition
- 10 Years BMW X5, autumn 2009, 500 vehicles
- Predecessor
- E53 · Successor: F15
08 · M GmbH
The X5 M — the end of the naturally aspirated engine at M
The X5 M was presented at Auto Shanghai 2009. Its S63B44 is a V8 twin-turbo based on the N63B44, that 4.4-litre V8 which also powers the X6 xDrive50i. 555 PS at 6,000 rpm, 680 Nm between 1,500 and 5,650, 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.
Two things make it historic. It carries the first turbocharged M engine ever — before this, the naturally aspirated engine was the rule at M GmbH. And together with the X6 M, it is the first M model with xDrive, that is, with all-wheel drive. Both were considered unthinkable until then; both became standard afterwards.
Anyone wishing to tell the history of M GmbH cannot bypass this car — even though it is an SUV and is therefore rarely mentioned in this role.
09 · Kaufberatung
What matters: chassis and engine history
The E70 is inexpensive to buy today. As with the 7 Series E65, the real question is not the purchase price but the condition of the expensive systems.
Check the air suspension and Adaptive Drive both stationary and while driving. Warning lights are not a minor matter here.
For the N63 and S63, ask for the history regarding turbochargers and valve stem seals, and enquire about oil consumption.
Test the transfer case while manoeuvring: jerking or warning messages point to the actuator motor.
Have the fault memory read out across all control units, not just the engine.
With a car featuring the third row of seats, test-sit it — and inspect the boot with the row folded up.
The xDrive30d is the sensible E70, the xDrive40d the assured one. The X5 M is the historically most interesting car in the model line — and by far the most expensive to run.
10 · Die Konkurrenz
The Competition
Porsche Cayenne (958)
The direct rival from 2010. The Turbo S was the answer to the X5 M, with similar power and greater off-road capability.
Mercedes-Benz ML (W164/W166)
The classic competitor. The ML 63 AMG held on to the naturally aspirated engine longer than the X5 M — precisely the development that BMW anticipated here.
Audi Q7 (4L)
From 2005, larger and consistently designed for seven seats. Anyone who genuinely needed the third row of seats usually bought the Audi.
11 · Galerie
Bilder
Before and after the facelift.
12 · Quellen
Belege & Literatur
The main source is the German-language Wikipedia entry on the E70 model line with the data table of all engine variants. Image sources and licences are from Wikimedia Commons.